Wearable device and associated detecting method

ABSTRACT

A wearable device includes: a sensing circuit and a processing circuit, wherein the sensing circuit is arranged to generate a wearing information output in each of a plurality of detecting periods, and the processing circuit is arranged to inform a wearing status indicative of a status of wearing the wearable device according to wearing information outputs generated in the plurality of detecting periods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a wearable device, and more particularly, to a wearable device capable of informing a user whether the device is correctly worn, and an associated detecting method.

2. Description of the Prior Art

A wearable device for detecting biological information of a user must be tightly attached to the user (for example, by the wrists); otherwise, the detected bio data will not be 100% correct. When the device is worn during exercise, however, the user might not be able to notice if the device is perfectly attached all the time, which can result in incorrect bio data detection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One of the objectives of the present inventions is to provide a wearable device capable of informing a user whether the device is correctly worn, and an associated detecting method, to solve the abovementioned problem.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a wearable device is disclosed, comprising: a sensing circuit and a processing circuit, wherein the sensing circuit is arranged to generate a wearing information output in each of a plurality of detecting periods, and the processing circuit is arranged to inform a wearing status indicative of a status of wearing the wearable device according to wearing information outputs generated in the plurality of detecting periods.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a detecting method of a wearable device is disclosed, comprising: generating a wearing information output in each of a plurality of detecting periods; and informing a wearing status indicative of a status of wearing the wearable device according to wearing information outputs generated in the plurality of detecting periods.

These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a wearable device attached to a user according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the wearable device of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain terms are used throughout the description and following claims to refer to particular components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, manufacturers may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following description and in the claims, the terms “include” and “comprise” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should not be interpreted as a close-ended term such as “consist of”. Also, the term “couple” is intended to mean either an indirect or direct electrical connection. Accordingly, if one device is coupled to another device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, or through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a wearable device 10 attached to a user 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the wearable device 10 depicted in FIG. 1 is a watch-shaped device wrapped around a wrist of the user 20; however, the wearable device 10 disclosed by the present invention is not limited to be a watch type device, and can also be a ring, a pair of glasses, an armband etc. for detecting biologic information of the user 20. In the following paragraphs, the wearable device 10 is the watch-shaped device illustrated in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the wearable device 10 comprises a sensing circuit 110 and a processing circuit 120, wherein the sensing circuit 110 may comprise one or more sensors for detecting bio data, e.g. the heart rate and/or blood pressure of the user 20. After being processed by the processing circuit 120, the detected bio data can be shown on a display device 130 of the wearable device 10 for informing the user. The sensing circuit 110, for sensing purposes, is preferably installed on a bottom surface of the wearable device 10 which attaches to the user's skin for higher accuracy, as shown in FIG. 1. This is only for illustrative purposes, and not a limitation of the present invention. The location of the sensing circuit 110 is based on the designer's consideration. The present invention is focused on informing a wearing status indicative of a status of wearing the wearable device 10 rather than particular methods of bio data detection. More specifically, the wearable device 10 disclosed by the present invention is capable of informing the user when the device is not correctly worn in order to prevent incorrect bio data detection.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the wearable device 10 of the embodiment of FIG. 1. The sensing circuit 110 is arranged to generate a wearing information output OUT in each of a plurality of detecting periods, which is sent to the processing circuit 120. The processing circuit 120 is arranged to calculate a variation between two wearing information outputs generated by the sensing circuit 110, and informs a wearing status STA indicative of a status of wearing the wearable device 10 according to the calculated variation. As mentioned above, the sensing circuit 110 may comprise one or more sensors to detect the bio data. In this embodiment, one of those sensors is an image sensor (e.g. the sensor 210) for capturing a detecting image IMG in each detecting period.

Those skilled in the art should readily understand that the image sensor 210 captures the detecting image IMG with parameters such as shutter speed and aperture, which are summarized as the exposure time in this description. By referring to a brightness of detected data such as the brightness of at least a part of a previous detecting image IMG (e.g. a part or all of it), the image sensor 210 adjusts the exposure time to achieve a better performance when taking the detecting image. In this case, the exposure time corresponding to the brightness of at least a part of the detecting image is the wearing information output OUT which is sent to the processing circuit 120. More specifically, when the wearable device 10 is tightly attached to the user, every detecting image IMG taken by the image sensor 210 should be taken with a steady exposure time considering that the ambient light from the outside is also steady. When the wearable device 10 is no longer tightly attached to the user, i.e. the wearable device 10 is incorrectly worn by the user potentially causing incorrect bio data detection, the ambient light from the output side may vary dramatically, which results in a huge variation in exposure time for taking the detecting image IMG. By calculating the variation between the exposure time corresponding to two detecting images, the processing circuit 120 can determine if the wearable device 10 is correctly worn by the user by determining if the variation is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and inform the user of the wearing status STA.

Table 1 illustrates an example of taking the exposure time as the wearing information output. As described in Table 1, three wearing information outputs detected in three consecutive detecting periods or, in this case, three exposure time values corresponding to the brightness of three consecutive detecting images (i.e. IMG₁, IMG₂, and IMG₃) are received by the processing circuit 120 for calculating the variation mentioned above.

TABLE 1 Detecting image IMG₁ IMG₂ IMG₃ Expo_time 60 46 70

From the detecting image IMG₁ to the detecting image IMG₂, the process circuit 120 calculates the variation V₁ as:

$\begin{matrix} {V_{1} = {\frac{{40 - 60}}{60} = {23\%}}} & (1) \end{matrix}$

Then, from the detecting image IMG₂ to the detecting image IMG₃, the process circuit 120 calculates the variation V₂ as:

$\begin{matrix} {V_{2} = {\frac{{70 - 46}}{46} = {52\%}}} & (2) \end{matrix}$

From equations (1) and (2), the variation V₁ calculated by the processing circuit 120 is 23% while the variation V₂ calculated by the processing circuit 120 is 52%. Assuming that the predetermined threshold is 50%, the processing circuit 120 can thus determine that wearable device 10 is well-attached to the user during the period from the detecting image IMG₁ to the detecting image IMG₂ due to the variation V₁ not being greater than 50%, and outputs the wearing status STA to inform the user of the well-attached status. On the other hand, the processing circuit 120 can determine that the wearable device 10 is no longer attached to the user tightly during the period from the detecting image IMG₂ to the detecting image IMG₃ due to the variation V₂ being greater than 50%, and outputs the wearing status STA to inform the user of the incorrect wearing of the wearable device 10.

It should be noted that the processing circuit 120 can inform the wearing status STA to the user via different ways, and these are not limited in the present invention. For example, the wearing status STA can be displayed on the display device 130 of the wearable device 10 via text, icons, or pictures, or represented by different colors of light emitting diodes (LEDs), e.g. a green-light LED 140 represents the wearable device 10 is well-attached and a red-light LED 150 represents the wearable device 10 is worn incorrectly. In another example, the user can be alerted by a beeping sound output via a speaker 160 when the wearing status STA indicates the wearable device 10 is incorrectly worn.

In another embodiment, the variations can be calculated by the processing circuit 120 using different equations. An average of the variations of N detecting images V_(avg) is calculated by the processing circuit 120 based on equation (3) shown below, wherein the wearing status STA is output to inform the incorrect wearing of the wearable device 10 when the average is greater than a predetermined threshold.

$\begin{matrix} {V_{avg} = {\left( {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{N}\;\frac{{{Expo\_ Time}_{i - 1} - {Expo\_ Time}_{i}}}{{Expo\_ Time}_{i - 1}}} \right)/\left( {N - 1} \right)}} & (3) \end{matrix}$

Taking the exposure time values shown in the Table 1 as an example, the average variation V_(avg) is (0.23+0.52)/2=0.425 according to the equation (3). Assuming the predetermine threshold is 0.2, the processing circuit 120 can thus determine that the wearable device 10 is incorrectly worn during these three detecting periods due to the average variation V_(avg) being greater than 0.2.

In yet another embodiment, the processing circuit 120 can count the number of variations which are greater than a predetermine threshold, and inform the wearing status STA indicative of incorrect wearing of the wearable device 10 when the number of the variations is greater than a predetermined value. For example, during ten detecting periods, the processing calculates the variations of these ten detecting periods, counts the number of variation which are greater than 20%, and informs the wearing status STA indicative of incorrect wearing of the wearable device 10 when the number of variations greater than 20% is more than 3 during these ten detecting periods.

It should be noted that the calculation of the variation or the criteria for determining whether the wearable device is incorrectly worn is not limited in the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention encompasses other alternative designs, as long as the variation is calculated according to the wearing information output OUT and the wearing status STA is generated according to said variation.

Referring to FIG. 2 again, in another embodiment, the sensing circuit 110 can further comprise a light source 220 arranged to provide an auxiliary light AUX for the image sensor 210 capturing the detecting image IMG. By referring to a brightness of at least a part of the detecting image IMG, the auxiliary light AUX is adjusted to achieve a better performance when taking the detecting image. In this case, the intensity of the auxiliary light AUX corresponding to the brightness of at least a part of the detecting image is the wearing information output OUT to the processing circuit 120. More specifically, when the wearable device 10 is tightly attached to the user, every detecting image IMG taken by the image sensor 210 should be taken with a steady auxiliary light AUX considering the ambient light from outside is also steady. When the wearable device 10 is no longer tightly attached to the user, i.e. the wearable device 10 is incorrectly worn by the user potentially causing incorrect bio data detection, the ambient light from the output side may vary dramatically resulting in a huge variation of the intensity of the auxiliary light AUX for taking the detecting image IMG. By calculating the variation between the intensities of the auxiliary light AUX corresponding to two detecting images, the processing circuit 120 can determine if the wearable device 10 is correctly worn by the user by determining if the variation is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and inform the wearing status STA to the user. In other embodiments, the current of the light source 220 for providing the auxiliary light AUX may be configured to be the wearing information output OUT. More specifically, by referring to a brightness of at least a part of the detecting image IMG, the auxiliary light AUX is adjusted to achieve a better performance when taking the detecting image. In this case, the magnitude or the duty cycle of the current of the light source 220 for adjusting the intensity of the auxiliary light AUX corresponding to the brightness of at least a part of the detecting image is the wearing information output OUT to the processing circuit 120. When the wearable device 10 is no longer tightly attached to the user, i.e. the wearable device 10 is incorrectly worn by the user potentially causing incorrect bio data detection, the ambient light from the output side may vary dramatically resulting in a huge variation of the magnitude or the duty cycle of the current of the light source 220 for adjusting the intensity of the auxiliary light AUX for taking the detecting image IMG. By calculating the variation between the magnitude or the duty cycle of the current corresponding to two detecting images, the processing circuit 120 can determine if the wearable device 10 is correctly worn by the user by determining if the variation is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and inform the wearing status STA to the user.

In yet another embodiment, the sensing circuit 110 can further comprise a digital-to-analog converter 230 arranged to provide an adjusting signal ADJ to the light source 220 to control the current passing through the light source 220 and adjust the intensity of auxiliary light AUX for the image sensor 210 capturing the detecting image IMG. By referring to a brightness of at least a part of the detecting image IMG, the adjusting signal ADJ is adjusted for a better performance when taking the next detecting image. In this case, the adjusting signal ADJ corresponding to the brightness of at least a part of the detecting image is the wearing information output OUT to the processing circuit 120. More specifically, when the wearable device 10 is tightly attached to the user, every detecting image IMG taken by the image sensor 210 should be taken with a steady adjusting signal ADJ for controlling the auxiliary light AUX considering the ambient light from outside is also steady. When the wearable device 10 is no longer tightly attached to the user, i.e. the wearable device 10 is incorrectly worn by the user potentially causing incorrect bio data detection, the ambient light from the output side may vary dramatically resulting in a huge variation of the adjusting signal ADJ for taking the detecting image IMG. By calculating the variation between the magnitudes of the adjusting signals corresponding to two detecting images, the processing circuit 120 can determine if the wearable device 10 is correctly worn by the user by determining if the variation is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and inform the wearing status STA to the user. It should be noted that the topology of the DAC 230 is not limited in the present invention. For example, the DAC 230 can be a pulse-width modulator DAC, a delta-sigma DAC, a binary-weighted DAC, or a cyclic DAC, etc.

When the wearing information output OUT is the magnitude of the adjusting signal ADJ or the intensity of the auxiliary light AUX, the variation can be calculated by the processing circuit 120 using the abovementioned methods. Those skilled in the art should readily understand the implementation; the detailed description is therefore omitted here for brevity.

As mentioned above, the sensing circuit 110 comprises one or more sensors for detecting the bio data of the user. In one embodiment, one of those sensors is a pressure sensor (e.g. the sensor 240) for detecting the pressure of the wearable device 10 against the user in each detecting period. The pressure detected in each detecting period can be the wearing information output OUT to the processing circuit 120. More specifically, when the wearable device 10 is tightly attached to the user, every detected pressure detected by the pressure sensor 240 should be a steady value. When the wearable device 10 is no longer tightly attached to the user, i.e. the wearable device 10 is incorrectly worn by the user potentially causing incorrect bio data detection, the detected pressure may vary dramatically. By calculating the variation between the pressures detected in two detecting periods, the processing circuit 120 can determine if the wearable device 10 is correctly worn by the user by determining if the variation is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and inform the wearing status STA to the user.

In another embodiment, one of those sensors is a thermal sensor (e.g. the sensor 250) for detecting the temperature of the wearable device against the user in each detecting period. The temperature detected in each detecting period can be the wearing information output OUT to the processing circuit 120. More specifically, when the wearable device 10 is tightly attached to the user, every detected temperature detected by the thermal sensor 220 should be a steady value. When the wearable device 10 is no longer tightly attached to the user, i.e. the wearable device 10 is incorrectly worn by the user potentially causing incorrect bio data detection, the detected temperature may vary dramatically. By calculating the variation between the temperature detected in two detecting periods, the processing circuit 120 can determine if the wearable device 10 is correctly worn by the user by determining if the variation is greater than a predetermined threshold value, and inform the wearing status STA to the user.

Briefly summarized, the present invention utilizes those sensors originally installed in the wearable device to generate a wearing information output, and the processing circuit informs the wearing status to the user according to the wearing information output. As those sensors are originally installed in the wearable device, using them to generate the wearing information output will not result in excess power consumption. Via the wearing information output, the user can be informed when the wearable device is not correctly worn, therefore preventing incorrect bio data detection.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A detecting method of a wearable device, comprising: acquiring a plurality of exposure times of an image sensor as wearing information outputs in a plurality of detecting periods, wherein the image sensor captures detecting images with the exposure times; and informing an incorrectly wearing status according to the wearing information outputs, wherein the incorrectly wearing status means the wearable device is not correctly worn thus causes incorrect bio data detection.
 2. The detecting method of claim 1, wherein the step of informing the incorrectly wearing status according to the wearing information outputs comprises: calculating a variation between the wearing information output generated in a first detecting period and the wearing information output generated in a second detecting period; and determining the incorrectly wearing status according to at least the variation.
 3. The detecting method of claim 1, wherein the step of acquiring a plurality of exposure times of an image sensor as wearing information outputs comprises: capturing at least one detecting image by the image sensor; wherein the wearing information output is corresponding to a brightness of at least a part of the detecting image.
 4. The detecting method of claim 3, further comprising: adjusting the exposure time of the image sensor for capturing another detecting image according to the brightness of the at least a part of the detecting image.
 5. The detecting method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a pressure for the wearable device against a user in each of the plurality detecting periods; wherein the detected pressure is the wearing information output.
 6. The detecting method of claim 1, further comprising: detecting a temperature for the wearable device against a user in each of the plurality detecting periods; wherein the detected temperature is the wearing information output.
 7. The detecting method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying the incorrectly wearing status on a display device; or displaying the incorrectly wearing status as a specific color of light.
 8. The detecting method of claim 1, further comprising: informing a user the wearable device is in the incorrectly wearing status when the wearable device is incorrectly worn. 